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Steering basics - zigzag effect?


magictime

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28 minutes ago, RLWP said:

I'm afraid I have a norty habit of giving the tiller of Tawny to unsuspecting newbies when they least expect it. I'm always fair though, I'll set the boat up travelling straight on an easy bit of canal first

Newbies fall into two groups. The first grip the tiller like grim death and start to zigzag. The second group will take over and the boat hardly changes course.

I have no way of predicting which group a person will fall into. I suppose the more nervous do tend to be more likely to zigzag. Young steerers often settle faster than older ones

In the long term, zigzaggers who persist always come good, and it's no guarantee that 'natural' steerers won't get it wrong

Richard

I find there is a third group...

the ones that will deliberately zigzag the boat to get a feel for how responsive it is to the tiller and where the pivot point is

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There is a fourth type,  In which I include myself.

Those who see something interesting to look at canalside, a building, a boat, a garden etc, and when they look forward again find the boat has decided it wants to head for the bank :D

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9 minutes ago, cuthound said:

There is a fourth type,  In which I include myself.

Those who see something interesting to look at canalside, a building, a boat, a garden etc, and when they look forward again find the boat has decided it wants to head for the bank :D

I had that problem for years, still have the odd attack but not so often

 

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19 minutes ago, cuthound said:

There is a fourth type,  In which I include myself.

Those who see something interesting to look at canalside, a building, a boat, a garden etc, and when they look forward again find the boat has decided it wants to head for the bank :D

This isn't a group in itself, it's a separate characteristic

I still do that

Richard

MORE: Since we had our rudder straightened out, Tawny is far less likely to go what TreeMonkey calls 'blackberry picking'. Before, with the least inattention she would make for either bank

Edited by RLWP
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1 hour ago, cuthound said:

There is a fourth type,  In which I include myself.

Those who see something interesting to look at canalside, a building, a boat, a garden etc, and when they look forward again find the boat has decided it wants to head for the bank :D

I often fall foul of this but I know how quickly I can straighten back up. Trying to grab a coat and put it on can have the same effect.

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3 minutes ago, Rob-M said:

Trying to grab a coat and put it on can have the same effect.

Well, yes. That's because it's never just grab a coat, is it. It's try to grab the coat, have the coat catch on something, coat falls on the floor, climb down and pick up coat...

Richard

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  • 2 months later...

I keep my gangplank on the cabintop at the centre of pivot (is that the right terminology ?) Just forward of my centre rope ring. I then find myself steering the gangplank as an indicator rather than the whole boat length, especially through the tight confines of our marina, remembering the stern swings further than the bow. It works for me. Also when travelling down a straight, i often centre the boat and tiller arm and then cruise hands off and see which way she tracks depending on wind or prop walk. Then i just use just very light pressure to trim the steering as it drifts. Using too much power also makes steering more sensitive and so i,m a soft boiled egg captain, 1300 rpm on my 60' Beta 43 does it fine. I,ve never overtaken anyone in 5 years afloat but let plenty passed in a hurry. I cruise to a fuel consumption not a speed or time. Its a lovely life !

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